System

I walked through the darkness. Wherever my gaze fell, there was only impenetrable blackness. But I felt the level floor with my feet and walked forward, as if some force was calling me. At this point, my mind was clouded, so my perception of what was happening was distorted. The question of how I ended up here and why did not occur to me. Only a certain force, which gave off a painful pulsation in my chest, guided me.

And I don't even know how long I walked like this, maybe a couple of minutes, or several hours? I wasn't even sure of my perception of time. But, one way or another, at some point I saw a light ahead. That strange force that called me so. A small purple light.

-"Haa? "- I exhaled.

For the first time in this place, I was momentarily touched by surprise. I saw purple steam coming out of my mouth. But despite this, my legs continued to move forward.

There was very little left to the light source when my ears caught a metallic clang.

And, hesitating, I lowered my gaze.

This clang...

The sound of my own steps. But, if earlier I walked in my soft shoes, now I found plate boots on my feet. And, in fact, not only my legs, my whole body suddenly found itself shackled in gloomy armor, as if from some dark fantasy.

- "What?"

The feeling of surprise becomes stronger.

And I raise my hands, looking at the plate gauntlets. Sharp clawed fingers, many moving parts. And from the thinnest joints of the armor dark smoke streams, enveloping my body. But when my lack of understanding of what was happening reached its peak and I simply froze, this body itself moved forward. I wasn't even sure it was my body. Moreover, now it seemed that I was knocked out and, as if in some kind of game, I was looking at this massive figure in plate armor from the side. How he walked towards the light source, without my participation.

I was drawn to him.

I no longer walked, did not feel my body, I was just a weak-willed observer who could no longer do anything... even look away...

And so…

He reached his goal.

The source of light turned out to be a person. A young guy with black hair whose skin glowed with purple fire. His eyes glowed especially brightly, like white fire. This ghost stood motionless, not reacting to anything, even when the figure of the dark lord approached him. And this is precisely the association that this image evoked. All that was missing was a mace and a ring.

- "Haa?"

I was suddenly drawn towards him.

And I felt myself in this body again. But now the sensations were stronger. Now it seemed that before this body was simply stuffed with cotton wool. And now it exuded enormous power. In the muscles, ligaments, bones, in the flowing blood, an exciting force flowed through this body. But, along with it, I was overcome by fatigue. Some ancient feeling of melancholy and disappointment, from which one simply gives up. Apathy that subjugates the mind.

"Hrr..." - I growled somehow in displeasure.

Or not really me...

The one I was currently involved with. The true owner of this body.

He reached out his hand to the ghost and touched it. And immediately golden threads flashed all over his body. The ruler's hand touched one of them and... the darkness began to absorb the gold, distorting these threads. And at the same time, all the power that the ruler possessed poured into the ghost.

A fire flared up in pain in my chest.

And I saw how the black threads themselves were piercing the armor, piercing my body...

- "Haaa..". - And I sigh with relief.

The threads return to the ghost, sealing a pulsating clot of power within it.

And, along with this power, I myself turned into a ghost.

The Lord transferred all his power... all he was left with was apathy and fatigue...

At that moment I felt like a runner on a track who had been handed the baton. Although, these threads seemed to hold back the overlord's power. Now I only felt the weakness of this body. And he looked at the mighty figure in armor. His eyes still burned with fire, but not so brightly. His armor crumbled into pieces of darkness. And, in the end, the lord's eyes sparkled one last time before his light went out completely.

And immediately after that...

The darkness around me attacked me!

- "Haa! "— I inhale sharply.

And I jump up sharply.

- "What?"

Emerging from oblivion, I came to my senses on the bed.

My breathing returned to normal, as did my heartbeat. Gradually, after this shocking dream, I calmed down. And, relaxingly plopping down on the bed, I look straight at the game window with a message.

[You have one unread message.]

Actually, now everything fell into place. This dark figure in the dream, this message, and even my own body. Looking down, I look at my hands. Thin, but surprisingly sinewy arms.

After all, just before realizing myself in that strange dream... I remember that I was going to bed to rest. And this figure in armor is the monarch of the shadows, Ashborn?

"He-ha-ha..." - Laughter burst out of my mouth on its own.

- Shh... - He pinched too hard.

Reaching out my hand, I touch the translucent screen and, blinking, it disappears. And instead of it, a new one appears.

[Alert

Welcome player! (unread)

The daily task "get stronger" has arrived! (unread)]

So I received two messages.

And without hesitation, I immediately opened the first one.

[Welcome player!

The system will help the player's development!

If you fail to follow the system's instructions, you will receive a fine.

Get a reward for connecting to the system!]

Blinking, I clicked on the small icon under this message.

And at that very moment I felt a familiar force. The pulsation of the violet energy of the ruler that settled within me. Dark threads that entwined my entire being. And I felt the power hidden in them. If it penetrated my body at once now, then... I would simply be torn to pieces. But, instead, the threads allowed only a small crumb of these forces to seep into me. And I felt this energy pass through my body, penetrating to my very bones.

Received + 10 stat points!

And after that, a character window immediately opened in front of me, which displayed my own characteristics.

[Demi Shiba

Level 1

Job

No

Title

No

Health - 100%

Mana - 100%

Characteristics:

Strength - 6

Agility - 8

Stamina - 5

Perception - 12

Intelligence - 16

Available points – 10]

Nearby there was also an image of my body and empty equipment slots, just like in the game. And the same window with skills, which was still empty. But there was an additional window 

[This System promotes the development of the Player.]

[In case of disobedience to the System, a fine may follow.]

[The process of issuing a purchase in the Reincarnation System is completed.]

[Attention! Thanks to the skill - "Shadow Unity", some of your powers will be fused with the power of the Single Level Raising System.

The reward process for this achievement has been completed.

Do you accept rewards?] - (Yes/No)

[Dimension No. 4 wishes you, a pure and immaculate soul, to experience torment and madness.]

The last message gave me a shiver, and I was so scared that I even fell out of bed. However, I fell into the shadow, so I didn't hit the ground, but simply entered the shadow and turned my body into darkness, after which, in a clot of shadows, I climbed onto the bed again.

- "OK! It was really creepy! Very creepy! " - I muttered, finally feeling the same manna in my body. It felt like I was a car that had finally been filled with gas. An unusual feeling of energy appeared in my body, and I truly liked it! However, I also vaguely felt that the energy I had came from a seemingly bottomless source in my heart. But this source is quite blocked by such threads. It seems that the System was these threads, even if it was disguised as a game system, in fact it only held Ashborn's power, allowing me to little by little, little by little, get used to his power. All the items that she gave, all the skills that she gave, and in general everything that she gave, were part of Ashborn's power or were created thanks to his power.

Having moved away a little from fear, and then from joy, I accepted the reward.

[Reward for successfully combining some of the skills of the "Reincarnation System" and the "Solo Level Up System."

Status: Accepted

Skill acquired: Blessing of the Great Sorcerer Kandiaru

For your ingenuity, the greatest sorcerer Kandiaru decided to grant you special power.

Along with his gift, perfect health and iron endurance will come to you. You are given the opportunity to live a healthy life.

— Long-term effect 1 "Removing the negative aspects of albinism":

Your albinism will remain with you, but all its negative debuffs will disappear. All your moles, flat feet and growth limitations will also disappear.

— Long-term effect 2 "Health and longevity":

Provides lifelong immunity to all existing diseases and toxic substances. Also, the ability to recover during sleep has increased a hundredfold.]

Happy with my purchase, I activated the second message.

[Daily Quest: Get Stronger. Preparatory process:

Push-ups: 0 / 100 times

Squat: 0 / 100 times

Press: 0 / 100 times

Running: 0 / 10 km

Note: If the task is not completed within the specified time period, an appropriate fine will be imposed.]

I smiled and was about to start completing the task, when suddenly a mosquito flew up to me and sat on my hand. Immediately, at the place where he landed, a shadow appeared on its own, from which a thin black needle burst out. The skills of "Creating Shadows" and "Manipulating Shadows" were developed by me to the point of automaticity. And the same will apply to the forces of Ashborn!

With these thoughts, I again jumped from the bed, after which I began to complete the task. Of course, I didn't intend to do it all at once, but I could easily stretch out the tasks for about half a day...